Business Groups Make “Wish List” for Health Care Reform

In a panel discussion at the National Business Coalition on Health’s 2010 annual conference, Randy Johnson, senior vice president for labor and employee benefits at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said the Chamber’s top priorities are repealing the 2014 employer mandate to provide coverage or pay a penalty and repealing the 2018 excise tax on high-value (so-called “Cadillac”) health plans.

According to a report by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Johnson also pointed to more targeted initiatives, including:

Repealing the 2011 tax form 1099 requirement for all vendor transactions above $600;

Adding incentives for more consumer choice and engagement, “such as with the use of health savings accounts,” and “giving employers the tools to manage their health benefits more effectively.”

“Maybe now we can have a conversation between the two sides. Maybe one of the positives of the election is that it will result in a better answer from us, the American people,” said Larry Becker, director of strategic partnerships and alliances at Xerox, according to the news report.